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Carlos Sierra Coming Back to Sioux City

Sioux City, IA– The Sioux City Explorers today have announced that RHP Carlos Sierra will be playing out his option for the 2020 season which will be Sierra’s second season with Sioux City and 7th professionally.

After an initial rocky start with the X’s, Sierra became one of Sioux City’s most reliable arms. He appeared in a total of 25 games with thirteen of them being starts, collecting an 8-1 record and a 3.21 ERA over 95.1 innings of work. He struck out a total of 98 batters in that time for a K/9 of 9.1. 

The rocky start came in his first twelve appearances out of the bullpen which can be attributed to some bad luck. Sierra carried a 5.06 ERA into June 19th, despite striking out 27 batters over 21.1 innings and walking only seven and holding a WHIP of 1.17. However after a five inning shut out performance in relief against Kansas City on June 19th, Sierra would be given the opportunity to start. He certainly made the most of the opportunity and helped sure up the X’s rotation. In those thirteen starts he threw 74 innings, striking out 69 batters and holding together a 2.92 ERA as a starter.

He began his career pitching for the Sancti Spiritus of the Cuban National Series where he posted a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 innings as a 19 year old. Unlike many of his other native Cuban players did not need to defect his home country to be able to establish residency and play baseball outside of the country. He was granted Spanish citizenship due to his grandfather’s roots allowing him to leave Cuba legally. He then pitched in the Canary Island for the Tenerife Marlins in the Division de Honor de Beisbol the best league Spain has to offer.

He signed as an international free agent with the Houston Astros on December 24^th, 2015. His first season in affiliated ball began late in June of that season but Sierra pitched well for the Astros Low A club mostly appearing out of the bullpen. It earned him a late season promotion to the Quad City River Bandits of Davenport, IA. In only 10 innings, he was able to hold an ERA of 1.80 while striking out 16.

Dominating A-Ball once again Sierra earned himself a quick promotion to High A during the 2017 season spending most of the year pitching for the Buies Creek Astros of the Carolina League. He would make 25 appearances for the Astros pitching 48 innings, going 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 49 strikeouts. Add in his 11 punch outs with Quad Cities earlier in the year in 9.1 innings, and Sierra’s 60 strikeouts that season are still his career high.

The 2018 season took place in Buies Creek and he once again showed Houston that he had mastered that level with a 3.32 ERA in 10 appearances, with 21 strikeouts in 21.2 innings. He was then promoted to AA Chorpus Christi there he pitched in 16 games and 21 innings with a 6.00 ERA. The Houston Astros released Sierra in March of 2018.

With the addition of RHP Carlos Sierra the Sioux City Explorers have now signed 20 players (15 Pitchers, 5 position players) to a 2020 contract. 

The Sioux City Explorers 28th season in Siouxland will begin on May 19th at the Kansas City T-Bones. The X’s open up their home schedule on May 26th against the Sioux Falls Canaries. Season tickets, flex tickets, group tickets and luxury suites are now for sale for all 50 Explorers home games for the 2020 season. Simply call (712) 277-WINS (9467) to order your ticket package today.